Lottery employee accused of theft

An Illinois Department of the Lottery employee is facing charges for allegedly stealing instant lottery tickets and redeeming winning tickets for cash.

Dean Derrick of Springfield is facing several charges, including four counts of theft of governmental property. Attorney General Kwame Raoul said Derrick allegedly stole books of instant lottery tickets while working as a sales representative for the Illinois Lottery.

Another man who prosecutors say was involved in the scheme is also facing charges.

Air purifiers for schools

The Illinois Department of Public Health has announced that the state is launching a $29.6 million program to distribute more than 60,000 air purifiers to Illinois schools to help reduce the transmission of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19.

The program is funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and is targeted for school districts that serve lower income communities and counties that have elevated air pollution counts. IDPH estimates almost 3,000 schools will be eligible for the program.

Goat owner found

The mystery of who owns three goats that were found wandering the streets of Chicago is solved.

An officer for Animal Care and Control came across the three goats and took them to the shelter. A call went out looking for the owner of the animals and this week, the owner stepped forward and took the goats home. It is legal to keep goats as pets in Chicago.